The Qatari 747-8 on the runway at Palm Beach International Airport, where President Donald Trump toured it in February. [Shutterstock/Leonard Zhukovsky]
Key Takeaways:
Senator Ted Cruz raised significant security and espionage concerns about Qatar's potential gift of a Boeing 747-8i to President Trump, citing Qatar's funding of adversarial groups and the risk of surveillance.
Cruz also highlighted "massive" security challenges and potential Emoluments Clause issues related to a sitting president accepting the $400 million luxury aircraft.
President Trump is reportedly considering accepting Qatar's gifted 747-8i as a temporary Air Force One due to ongoing delays in Boeing's delivery of new presidential aircraft.
The proposed acceptance of the "palace in the sky" jet raises legal and ethical questions regarding a president receiving such a valuable gift from a foreign nation and its post-presidency ownership.
Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said Tuesday that Qatar’s Boeing 747-8i aircraft gifted to President Donald Trump raises “significant espionage and surveillance problems.”
In a video interview with CNBC, Cruz said he was “not a fan of Qatar” and its funding of adversarial factions in the Middle East.
CREATE A FREE ACCOUNT
Sign up to keep reading
Create a free account to continue. Already a member? Sign in below.
Caleb Revill is a journalist, writer and lifelong learner working as a Junior Writer for Firecrown. When he isn't tackling breaking news, Caleb is on the lookout for fascinating feature stories.
